New B Trying To Get Started Right

[PrairieMom]

Okay, so I am new at this, and have apparently done everything wrong.
Now I am not sure where to go from here. I just want to do everything right.
As of right now I have an approximately 3 week old 10 gallon tank stocked with one Chinese algae eater, one eel-y type loach, not sure exactly what kind, maybe spotted? is that an option? and one Sunburst platy. I also have 2 live plants, some fern looking thing and another one. Loach and platy have Ich, (we already lost a striped tetra to it this morning)
So, I have been doing 50% water changes daily, treating with jungle brand Ich guard, and adding about 1 teaspoon of salt daily. I took the carbon out of my filter.
Now that I have had fish in the tank for 3 weeks, is my tank considered cycled? Or have I removed to much of the water to often and need to re-cycle? I read the pinned threads and the newB no-no's but I am still a bit confused.

 

[QuotheRaven]

I would think that you may be left with at most the Platy and algae eater as the loach is in a un-cycled tank with salt and medication and being scaleless it is more severe to them than scaled fish.

You should purchase a test kit for tropical water and check your ammonia levels, Nitrite levels etc... that will tell you how far into a cycle you are, what sort of filter are you running and silly question but you have a heater in your tank to?

What I suggest is when or if the fish get better return them to either someone who will take them who has a established tank(and tell them they had a disease) or return them to the aquarium where you got them...

HOWEVER, have you cleaned the filter at all? if so leave it alone, raise the temperature in your tank to about 28 as that will speed up the ich's life cycle and kill it easier with the medication. Regarding the water changes, stop doing them as they are diluting the medication and not helping your cycle IMO. So get your ammonia and nitrite levels tested (Nitrite not nitrate) and post the levels on here.

Good luck...you may want to also get rid of the plants, they will die in the medication but also may harbour some Ich

 

[PrairieMom]

Thanks for answering so quickly.

I pulled the plants out this afternoon suspecting that they may be harboring something, now they are living in a Tupperware container next to the tank. Can they survive that way for a while?
I have a Aquatech 5-15 power filter running now, with out the carbon cartridge, and I have never cleaned it. and I do have a heater, the tank is about 78 degrees now, I warmed it up trying to speed up the darn life cycle of the ich.

Should I stop doing all water changes? the instructions on the ich guard tell me to change 10% daily and retreat the new water. So do I just put in new medication daily? now I am confused.

Why do you suggest I return my fish "when" they survive? Are they bad together or something?

I will run straight to the fish store tomorrow and get the test kit.

 

[QuotheRaven]

If the fish survive the ich they may need to be returned due to the fact the tank may not be cycled (which you need the test to check).

If the medication says do a 10% water change then do that but no more as it may dilute the medication or muck up the cycle....

I will warn you that test kits are quite expensive so maybe if you are looking for a cheaper solution but more of a hassle some aquariums test your water for either free or a small fee

 

[PrairieMom]

Huh. This fish tank thing is harder than having a puppy! Okay. I will get my water tested. thanks for you help.

 

[QuotheRaven]

Puppies can't get Ich or need filters hey

good luck

 

[PrairieMom]

Puppies can't get Ich or need filters hey

good luck

Thats true, but fish don't bark in the middle of the night, shed, or poo in the yard.

 

[pauly]

I'd get a test kit if I were you. They're about £15 for a liquid one that tests for Ammonia, Ph, Nitrite and Nitrate. All of which you need to keep an eye on. They last for ages too so they're worth it.

You don't HAVE to return your fish, you can cycle your tank with them in but that involves more work and usually takes longer.

Also you say you've read up on the newbie threads. Read them again and make sure you understand them. There is a lot to take in at first but once you get going it all becomes natural.

Paul.

 

[mark.w.jones]

API Aquarium Pharmaceuticals do a Freshwater Master Test Kit which most members here use. It contains liquid tests for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH. Other than that. Read all the pinned articles at the top of this forum and the tropical chat one, I have also got a number of newbie articles worth reading in my sig.

The problem with your fish is that they get too big and boisterous for a 10 gallon tank. Running a successful 10 gallon tank is not easy and your stocking options are actually quite limited. The CAE and loach are certainly not good for such a small tank. Don't do anything at all until the ich has completely gone though. And then find a way to return them or give them away.